GlobeMed at the University of Texas - Austin partners with Wuqu' Kawoq in Tecpan, Guatemala to support sexual reproductive health education.

GlobeMed at UT - Austin + Wuqu' Kawoq

Key FactWuqu’ Kawoq is especially skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer, which is a leading cause of death in Guatemala.

About the PartnershipWuqu’ Kawoq is a non-governmental organization that provides quality healthcare to some of Guatemala’s most impoverished communities. Wuqu’ Kawoq’s approach is particularly important in their environment as they address and attempt to overcome cultural barriers to health, such as language and access. They are able to fuse medicine and their solutions to these healthcare hindrances to become “the first and only health organization in Guatemala that provides high-quality healthcare in Mayan languages”. Wuqu’ Kawoq has a diverse team of physicians, doctors, linguistics, and community health care workers that helps respectfully and sustainably contribute to the huge impact they have in the many communities they serve.

ProjectOver one-third of indigenous women in Guatemala have no access to health and family planning services. In order to increase access to family planning services, with an emphasis on long-acting reversible contraceptive methods and patient education, GlobeMed at the University of Texas at Austin is supporting contraceptive education and resources that will be facilitated by bilingual auxiliary nurses who speak both Spanish and Mayan. Nurses will counsel women on their birth control options and sexual health, and provide women with the method of their choosing.

The partnership’s goal is to provide women all the possible resources, including birth control options and education, that they need or want in order to keep themselves and families happy and healthy. Application of long-term birth control will allow women to better use their resources and hopefully reduce child malnutrition. It also allows women to have autonomy over their own bodies. Additionally, with these resources and education, women are empowered because they have the tools necessary to make decisions about their own health.

ImpactGlobeMed at The University of Texas at Austin hopes to raise $15,000 this year for Wuqu’ Kawoq to strengthen their women health services.

Get InvolvedRead GlobeMed at UT – Austin’s annual report and donate to their cause. Interested in joining the chapter? Contact [email protected].